The invention as disclosed and described herein relates generally to suspension devices, and more particularly to devices for suspending medical equipment such as personal radiation shields or lead aprons worn by medical personnel in a medical environment.
Performance of medical procedures can be a physically demanding job, potentially creating discomfort and health issues for medical personnel. For example, a doctor performing a medical procedure can expose his body to radiation, such as X-rays, which are used to perform many medical diagnostic and therapeutic tests and procedures. In particular, cardiac catheterization procedures can expose doctors and other medical personnel to potentially dangerous X-rays.
To minimize exposure to radiation, medical personnel performing procedures having risk of X-ray exposure commonly wear personal protective garments containing radiation-absorbing materials, generally lead foil or other metals, which are worn in the fashion of a vest and apron.
Such garments can be uncomfortable, heavy and place significant stress on the operator's body, especially the spine, over the course of a working day which may be 8 hours or longer. This issue presents a significant health concern for medical operators in radiation environments, such as personnel in a cardiac catherization laboratory or orthopedic operating theater.
The effects of an operator wearing a heavy radiation shielding garment over an extended period of time is known to be associated with maladies of the cervical, thoracic or lumbar spine, knee problems, foot problems, and other musculoskeletal dysfunctions, which can result in disability, medical expenses, and decreased quality of life for the operator. Further, the use of such garments can impact the quality of patient care by placing undue physical stress on the operator.
Thus, there is a need for radiation shielding suspension devices for use in a medical environment. In one aspect, the suspension device allows an operator to wear a personal radiation protection garment by suspending the garment thereby offsetting the weight of the garment on the operator's body and eliminating stress on said operator's musculoskeletal system. Further, the device does not limit freedom of movement. In one aspect, the device allows for vertical, rotational, and axial or translational movement of the support mechanism.
Known systems include suspension systems such as, for example, the system described by U.S. Pat. No. 7,608,847, to Rees, the contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Thus, detailed explanations of the functioning of some of the components and method of such suspension systems are deemed unnecessary for understanding of the present invention by one of ordinary skill in the art, however the following description is instructive.
Cranes might be used to support a load up to 250 pounds, are often operated by workers without the aid of motorized assistance, since the crane's movable parts are light enough to be manipulated by hand. Different systems are employed to suspend the load from the cranes, including hoists, and balancers, such as tool balancers.
Tool balancers are also currently available and help to suspend tools in the workspace in a manner that provides ergonomic benefit for workers using them.
The tool balancer can generally be attached overhead the workspace, and reels out cable from which the tool is suspended. Adjustments may be made to provide a “zero gravity” balancing of the tool at the desired height, such that the worker may move the tool up or down within a working range without having to bear a significant portion of the tool's weight.
Different adjustment may cause the tool balancer to exert a stronger upward force such that the operator must apply a downward force on the tool to pull it down to the workspace, and the balancer will cause the tool to rise when the operator releases it.
Tool balancers may be of the spring or pneumatic variety, referring to the mechanism, which provides the force for its operation. A spring tool balancer, such as in the preferred embodiment of this invention, generally contains a coiled flat spring, similar to a clock spring, which is attached to a reel with a conical shape and serves as the platform for the winding of the cable. The conical shape provides a variable mechanical advantage, which offsets the variance of the force provided by the spring as it winds or unwinds. The result is a relatively constant force on the cable within a definable working range.
Safety concerns mainly involve falling objects, strength of the suspension device, strength of the cable, and operator falls. The balancer can be attached to the axial swing arm by its own hook and can include a safety chain. The suspension device is commercially available at specified maximum loads, which include a wide safety margin. The mounting of the suspension device will be done according to essential architectural and safety standards.
Detachment of the garment from the suspension device will require certain care. A cable stop will prevent the hanger from going higher than the set level. An operator can remove the garment without concern for sudden upward, uncontrolled motion of the balancer cable and hanger or spreader bar.
Alternatively, a weight, which is approximately equivalent to the weight of the garment, could be attached to the hanger prior to disengaging the garment. This will drop the garment and require it to be supported by the worker, who may then disengage it from the hanger. The weight will prevent any upward motion of the hanger in an uncontrolled manner. The next time the garment is attached, the weight could be removed after secure attachment of the garment is confirmed.
For most operation, the garment need not be detached from the cable. It could be left suspended and moved out of the way of other activities. Another alternative method would involve setting the force on the balancer to be slightly greater than the weight of the garment. Once removed from the body, the garment would then slowly and safely rise up until stopped by the cable stop. Upon next use, it could easily be pulled back down into position.
In the event of an operator fall, it is unlikely that the system will contribute to operator harm since the balancer cable is long enough to allow the operator to reach the floor. Any harm to the operator should be the same as if not attached to the cable, except perhaps for some beneficial effect of the upward force of the suspension system.
In the event that rapid detachment of the operator from the system is necessary due to emergency, this can be achieved by simple removal of the garment from the body without detachment from the system. The garment can be left hanging, and the suspended garment can be moved to the end of the runway, clear of the moving patient or stretcher.
Alternatively, quick release hook and loop shoulder straps, such as Velcro™ can be rapidly disconnected thereby allowing the operator to walk away wearing the garment without being encumbered.
While some known devices may work for their intended purpose, there is a need for improved suspension devices which have additional benefits, yet none of the shortcomings.